I have plenty of products for detangling but anyone have ideas for preventing tangles?

My hair is high porosity and tangles badly and quickly. I can usually feel tangles by the time it has dried. That is with using LI and oil.

I do regular PTs and DCing.

Braids don't work - I have layers and the shorter ends stick out and get tangled. I know buns would help. But I just feel like I work so hard to have healthy pretty curls, what's the point if I always have them tucked away in buns. :/

I don't know about products that actively detangle your hair after you have styled it. Once its styled, its styled.

I do know that touching your hair less (especially when drying) can help reduce frizz and tangles. So can sleeping on a satin pillowcase or using a satin scarf can help with this as well (less friction=less tangles). I can attest to the scarf thing, I have been able to go longer between styling and detangling does not take nearly as long.

Are you sure you are detangling enough during styling? Also when is the last time you had a hair cut? If its been a while, maybe you need one. Since your hair can have lots of single strand knots (SSKs) and split ends. Those SSKs and split ends can get tangled up pretty easily and tangles beget tangles.

I have plenty of products for detangling but anyone have ideas for preventing tangles?

My hair is high porosity and tangles badly and quickly. I can usually feel tangles by the time it has dried. That is with using LI and oil.

I do regular PTs and DCing.

Braids don't work - I have layers and the shorter ends stick out and get tangled. I know buns would help. But I just feel like I work so hard to have healthy pretty curls, what's the point if I always have them tucked away in buns. :/

Any products that may help?

Originally Posted by bliss611

You don't have to have your hair tucked away in a bun all the time...maybe just some of the time? Pretty hair pins and headbands can help you feel better about it, but honesty it's the best way to prevent tangled IMO

Mixture of 2c/3a curls, fine to med texture

PROTEIN LOVER!!!

Wishing my hair would be more like this ------> and less like this --------->

I'm not an expert by any means, but I believe any product or treatment that helps smooth the cuticle may be best at preventing tangles while the hair is down. I haven't tried this but you could look into something like an acv rinse to see if it helps? Or possibly look into products that help your hair return to its natural ph. Just a thought.

- Deep condition regularly. Ensure your hair is in good condition.
- Sleep on a SILK pillow pillowcase, or sleep using a silk hair bonnet. Silk is super smooth so it prevents your hair from tangling up. I have a silk pillowcase. When I'm at my boyfriend's place I sleep on a cotton pillowcase and I definitely get more tangles there.
- I notice I can't wash less often than twice a week otherwise my tangles get just too bad (I only detangle during washing with condish in my hair), so wash your hair often enough with a proper detangler and a wooden wide tooth comb.
- Cut away split ends, all they do is knotting.
- Treat your hair gently, always. If your hair gets more porous, it will get tanglier. So: no dying, no perming, no relaxing, no aggressive shampoos, no drying alcohols remaining in your hair, try to avoid the hot, burning sun (sun bleaching is really bad for your hair), and avoid mechanical damage (brushing, rough fabric, hoods, etc).

One notable exception to the coloring thing: BAQ henna, a natural plant dye, will coat the cuticles of the hair, making the hair less porous, easier to detangle and shiny (or will add sheen to super-curly hair).